


Twilight's Last Gleaming

by Singer



Category: Original Work
Genre: Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Forbidden Love, Robin Hood References
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:48:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28217988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Singer/pseuds/Singer
Summary: During a mission in the depths of the middle east, the marine sharpshooter Bruner encounters a figure that will haunt his life and dreams. His team goes head to head with this strange Robin Hood like figure in a battle of wits and brute force as they try to accomplish their mission but soon he begins to realize that his loyalty might be divided.





	Twilight's Last Gleaming

**Author's Note:**

> Please don't be thrown off by the sudden transition of scenes at the end, I wanted to tell how they got to that moment as they are having their first romantic encounter.

On the roof of the hotel he waited. Prone, hidden behind the low parapet wall and still as death, he waited. The subtle static of the receiver in his ear was a pleasant white noise against the thudding of his heartbeat. No matter how many times he did this, no matter how steady his hands were on the rifle he held, his heart always pounded. 

“Target is approaching the engagement zone.” Lt.’s voice crackled through the white noise and the boisterous sounds of the market below. “Look alive boys.” 

Bruner hardly moved, simply settled his cheek more comfortably on the stock and scanned the street below again.  
The marketplace was set up in a square around the central fountain. Merchants with booths, carts, even just a blanket on the ground to hold their wares clamoured and waved for patrons in the late afternoon sun. They had been in position since before dawn, waiting for some sign that their intel was good and the target was going to be where he was supposed to be. Not that anything ever went according to plan. But improvisation was the speciality of the Hunters. 

This target was an odd duck to be sure. Handed down to them from their handler with little discussion was a self-made businessman, like so many others in the country he had made his money by dabbling in various unsavory pursuits. Human trafficking, smuggling, a little bit of arms dealing, the usual assortment of misdeeds were listed in his file but from the first time the team had seen it there was something a little odd. It was easy. Clean cut. A little too commonplace. 

“Possible inbound, west road towards the hospital.” The Captain this time.  
Bruner scanned across the market square to the road that fed into it from the west, one row back from the marketplace on the west road a small hospital handled as many refugees and casualties of war as they could, which wasn’t enough, it never was. A plume of dust heralded the Hummer that eased it’s way up the road, steadily pushing its way through the pedestrians that showed a frankly astonishing disrespect for the fact that the armored truck weighed many thousands of pounds and could and would run over them. Careful not to move too fast and catch the afternoon sun on his scope Bruner scanned the vehicle. Driver, passenger in shotgun, three more in the back. He returned his attention to the road to ensure they were alone.

His voice rasped from the long, hot day of disuse.“They’re alone Cap, at least for five blocks, no clear visual on the occupants. Do I have eyes on the ground?” “Yes you do,” came the reply, “Rogue, do you have a visual?” 

“Aye captain, driver appears to be a Caucasian female, early 30’s, can’t tell if she’s armed, passenger is our guy.” 

Bruner breathed in and out slowly as he found the Hummer again and the passenger in the front, close enough now to see his features. Close cropped dark hair, heavy brows over large, dark, drooping eyes and an oft broken nose. The tell tale scar that split his right eyebrow gleamed silver against his dark skin. He was laughing, talking to the driver animatedly, gesticulating expressively as he launched into some lengthy discussion. 

“Match confirmed Captain, a hundred feet and I’ll have a shot.” His index finger slid down over the trigger guard and dipped inside, relaxing against the trigger. Another bead of sweat dripped down the side of his face, he turned his head slightly, wiping it away against his shoulder. 

The first indication that something had gone wrong came when he glanced back through the scope and directly into the eyes of the driver. Her eyes widened in shock, he noticed with a certain detached presence of mind that she was unusual, unusually dressed in a linen shirt and wide leather belt almost reminiscent of a corset, military style cargo pants and the faint outline of the top of a utility belt and twin thigh holsters. Certainly unusual in that her honey gold-brown hair was long and uncovered, twisted into braids and pulled back away from her tan, weather lined face in a style that was more Nordic than middle eastern by a long shot. And most unusually her fierce hazel eyes had picked him out, widened slightly, then everything went sideways. Starting with the Hummer.

The vehicle skidded to a stop and was flung into drifting turn, almost completely obscured in a cloud of dust as the tires spun violently. Bruner cursed under his breath in annoyance and quickly found the passenger again, he pulled the trigger twice in quick succession. The first one impacted the bulletproof windshield and fell away, the second one punched through. The passenger cried out, his hands flying to his arm just as he fell sideways. The Hummer found traction and circled on its axis, two tires coming off the ground before slamming back down and accelerating forward, away from the market. 

“Shit,” he muttered, "Captain she made me! Target is wounded.” A round of curses came over the comms and the Captain barked at the team “Rogue, Lt, move in!! Intercept them at the crossroads!” 

An explosion of movement in the square drew attention as his two teammates swung into action, leaping for their dirt bikes and giving chase. Dust flew and horns blared as the Hummer tore through the dirt streets of the city, pedestrians dove out of the way and upset carts spilled their contents into the path of Rogue and the lieutenant as they wove through alleys trying to gain ground on their quarry. 

~~~

Her skin is soft under the pressure of his fingers, so so soft. The warm velvet texture only interrupted by the silver scars that wrap around her arms, around her shoulders and down over collar bones that stood out hollow against the muscles of her chest. His mouth is watering as his fingers trace up the side of her slender neck and finally, finally, his fingers sink deep into thick, warm, honey gold hair. He pulled her closer, standing chest against chest, forehead to forehead. Both of their eyes were closed. Breathing in the moment and the scent of each other, roses and leather. 

Bruner wrapped his hands around the back of her head, cradling her so gently that she almost felt delicate in his grasp, her chest ached with a nameless emotion that welled up and threatened to consume her. She swallowed nervously, eyes closed, and tilted her head back into his touch, her nose brushing against his beard and then -softly as a butterfly’s landing- her fingers resting on his arms stroked against his tattoos.

He almost moaned just from that and slowly opened his eyes to look down on her face. Eyes closed a little too hard, the tiniest crease in between her black brows. With a soft curse he pressed his lips to her forehead and pulled back sharply. Her eyes were open now, soft green and gold in the dawn light, she looked back up at him curiously. He felt something physically give within him and helplessly pressed his next kiss against her lips. So so soft, softer than her skin, and so warm, though not as warm as her mouth as he dipped his tongue between her slightly parted lips and the sound she made had his hands tightening in her hair even more as he crushed her mouth against his. He felt her hands fist in his shirt and pull him closer as she relaxed into him

~~~


End file.
